Online betting players will be treated to a pair of teams that aren’t used to postseason success when Houston hosts Cincinnati in the wild-card round, and in fact, the Texans haven’t even been here before. However, they come into the playoffs slumping, along with some injuries, and that gives the Bengals an edge.

Why Bet On Cincinnati Bengals (9-7 SU, 8-6-2 ATS)

The Bengals struggled over the second half of the season, but they got a couple of breaks and are in the playoffs for only the third time since 1990, although all three of those times have been since 2005. After the Carson Palmer saga grew, the Bengals had no choice but to throw rookie Andy Dalton under center, and while he was only 20th in passer rating, Dalton did a decent job with turnovers (13 picks) and showed some of the clutch play he was known for at TCU. Another rookie, receiver A.J. Green, was second among first-year players in yards and looks to be the next great wideout in the NFL. Cedric Benson had some legal issues this season, but he managed over 1,000 yards and anchored a ground game that helped limit turnovers. The biggest difference in Cincinnati’s NFL betting hopes has been a defense that has been consistent this season, as they finished sixth in the league and they realized that if they’re in the AFC North with Pittsburgh and Baltimore, they have to match those two defensively.

Cincinnati comes into this game with a clean bill of health, and they have been for most of the season; that is going to serve them well against a team that has been banged up with major injuries to important players. The Bengals are basically playing with house money because they weren’t supposed to be here anyway, so they can play relaxed. Revenge will also play a factor as the Bengals lost 20-19 to Houston at home in Week 14, and they’ll be out to avenge that.

Why Bet On Houston Texans (10-6 SU, 11-5 ATS)

The Texans reached the playoff for the first time in their 10-year history by winning the AFC South, and we’re sure that Indianapolis losing Peyton Manning had something to do with it, but they also improved their defense, which ranked second in the league thanks to coordinator Wade Phillips. The defense had to stay consistent as the offense went through a number of changes due to injuries, and they’re fortunate that third-string quarterback T.J. Yates can go this week after suffering a shoulder injury. Yates drew the job after Matt Schaub and Matt Leinart were lost for the season, and while he has performed admirably, Yates isn’t a quarterback of Schaub’s caliber and he has also been without receiver Andre Johnson, who has been limping as well. The Texans sat running back Arian Foster for the finale, but they have a two-headed monster in the backfield with Foster and Ben Tate. Houston fans probably don’t care much about the circumstances surrounding their team’s trip to the playoffs, but the team has a lot of problems heading into this game.

Yates (shoulder) and Johnson (hamstring) will practice fully this week, so they should be ready to go, and it appears as though guard Mike Brisiel (fibula) will see at least some time, which is good news for the Houston offense, but they’ll have to lean heavily on the duo of Foster and Tate, along with their defense because they’ve lost their explosion. The Texans are also coming into the postseason on a low note as they’ve lost three in a row, and that has to make some NFL betting players skeptical of their chances. A month ago, this game wouldn’t have been questioned, especially after the Texans went to Cincinnati and won. Now, it’s definitely up in the air.

How It Will Play Out

NFL betting odds have the Texans favored in your sportsbook by three points, and they’re 3-2 SU and 4-1 ATS in their last five meetings with the Bengals, with three games going under the posted total. The Texans are 6-2 ATS in Houston, while the Bengals are 5-1-2 ATS on the road this season.

Houston’s injuries and poor form heading into the playoffs makes it really tough to lean their way, and the upset is looking like the smart pick as the Bengals have nothing to lose, they’re playing relaxed football, they have motivation and they may be a tougher team on the road; at home, they may be under pressure. Take a risk and pick the Cincinnati Bengals in your sports betting picks.

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